Apparatus for constructing large hangars



Nov. 21, 1933. POMER'QY 1,935,990

APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING LARGE HANGARS Filed Dec. 5, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet 1 l I J l2 7 a l o 3 INVENTOR. JOHN H POMEROY ATTORNEYS;

NOV. 21, 1933- J H PQMERQY 1,935,990

APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING LARGE HANGARS Filed Dec. 5, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN H, Poms/coy A TTORNE YS.

Patent ed Nov. 21, 1933 This invention relates to the construction ofAPPARATUS- 1 0B CONSTRUCTING LARGE V HANGARS Y' 8 Claims. (01. 2141) Qparser OFFICE as the framework is successively moved, along.

large arched buildings such as dirigible airship hangars, and theobjects of the invention are toprovide a method aswell as apparatusfor'constructing such buildings expeditiously and at a great saving oflabor cost.

Large hangars for housing great airshipssuch as the Akron arejhugefarched. buildings comprising a series of transversely extendingarches anchored at both ends to the ground and a skeleton frameworksupported by the spaced archesand a covering of sheet metal, both endsof the structure being closed by huge rolling doors. The principalfeature of my invention consists" in apparatus which is moved alongtracks for supporting and placing one arch after the other. Otherfeatures of the inventionwill appear in the following description andaccompanying drawings.

.In the drawings Fig. 1 is an end elevation of.

an arched hangar frame in process of construction with the aid of myapparatus. 3 a

Fig. 2 is a side View of a portionof the arched hangar frame.constructed with the aid of the inventionand the apparatus ready formoving outward for placing another arch.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of one of the adjusting jacks forsupporting the arch sections during erection.

The hangar depicted in the drawings shows the general construction ofthe great hangar at the United States Naval Air Station near Sunnyvale,Santa Clara County, California, the steel frame of which is about 1000feet long and about 200feet high, so it will be appreciated thattheproblem of expeditious erection solved by the present invention is notrivial matter.

In the drawings the main structural lines only are shown as the girdersare all of 'lattice'steel construction braced in all directions and itwould be almost impossible to show all the details and would serve nouseful end if done. The same applies to the construction of the traveler,or traveling supporting framework used for erecting the arches. I

Briefly described, the invention comprises erecting the giant arches oneafter the other by the aid of a specially devised supporting frame workarranged to roll along on tracks, in fact in the present instance it iscarried on twelve railroad flat cars on four lines of railroad tracks,three cars on each track. The framework is of a size to substantiallyconform to the interior of one of the main arches and the tracks runlongitudinally of the proposed building so that to the successive archpositions it. will be in the correct place to support the members orsections of each arch in erecting the same. The framework carriesseveral overhanging boom so cranes or derricks, its own power plant, andis provided with runways, platforms and ladders for the workmen to getto every point for handling the materials.

In the drawings the main arches of the hangar 5 are composed ofstructural sections duplicated on both sides of the vertical center lineof the arch and designated 1, 1,.1, 1, all firmly riveted together as atgusset plates 6, and the upper or central meeting point of the two sidesof each arch are pivoted together with a large pin at 2 and the lowerends of sectionsl are pivoted at 3 to an A frame 4 in turn firmlyanchored to permanent foundations 5. The main arches are spaced atintervals along the buildin'g75 and are connected by longitudinal beamsor pur-' lins 7 secured to which are intermediate arches or rafters 8 oflighter construction than the main arches, and besides the above mainfeatures of construction will be angular wind bracing in so everydirection and intermediate members for supporting sheet metal coveringon the outside.

The pivotal connections 2 and 3, 3, are to provide for the expansion andcontraction of the great mass-of steel in the building through theeffect of heat and permit the arches to open and close as it werewithout putting any strain on the. foundations.

All the above relates to the actual construction of the building frameand is not. involved in the present patent application which has only todo with the methodand means for erecting such structures.

In erecting such structure falsework must of course be employed and itis the special type of falsework which so greatly expedites the workthat the present case is directed. I

In preparing to build the structure the foundationsfare poured and theground 9 is'leveled oif betweenthemand fourv sets of standardrailtendedto meet and support the inner sides of the arch sections as indicated inFigs. 1 and 3, while at the top of the frame are several large boomcranes 14 the ropes of which run down to individual hoisting engines 14,carried on the lower forward part of the frame or on the cars, as thecars and frame are all anchored together in any suitable manner to holdthem firmly together as a unit.

The cranes are positioned one in the center and two to the sides of theframe 12 but all somewhat forward as shown in Fig. 2 so as to preservean unobstructed portion of the frame rearward of the cranes on which tosupport and erect the main arches in succession.

The crane booms are of a length to swing substantially from thepreceding main arch already constructed to the last one supported on theframe so that all the members composing the main arches may be liftedone after the other, lowered against the jacks and riveted to theadjacent members. Most of the structural material is brought alonginside of the building from the completed portion toward the end beingworked on, the rail tracks serving to aid in this, and the pieces may behoisted up through the partially completed building framework forplacing in pc sition. The cranes, however, will pick up material fromthe sides or from in front of the framework 12.

In erecting the building the A frames '4 are first bolted in place,members 1 are hoisted and pinned at 3 to the A frames and supported onthe jacks, then successively members 1', 1", 1, are handled in the samemanner, each firmly riveted at its lower end to the preceding memberuntil both sides are in place, and by suitably manipulating the jacksthe sockets or eyes at the upper ends of sections 1" maybe aligned andthe upper 1 pins 2 slid in place,

After a main arch is thus erected, the purlins 7 are'hoisted and securedin place to tie the arch to the preceding portion ofthe building andafter which the jacks or other supporting devices used in placing thearch members are released and backed away sufficiently to clear theframe at all points from the arch and the frame is then drawn along thetracks the correct distance for erecting the next arch in the samemanner, and blocked in place or locked by the car hand brakes. In movingthe frame forwardly it is preferable to use the power of the threehoisting engines simultaneously pulling on three lines extendedforwardly to three deadmen. This has been found perfectly practicablewith careful winchmen, instead of using a solid transverse winch shaftwith several drums to pull so large a frame at several pointssimultaneously.

Having thus described my improvements in construction apparatus forerecting large arched structures, what I claim is:

1. Apparatus for constructing large buildings comprising scaffolding ofa size to come withg in the cross section of the building and providedwith means for supporting the transverse roof members of the building,means mounting said scaffolding for movement longitudinally of thebuilding for successive placing of its transverse members, and a craneon said scaffolding overhanging the building for raising theconstruction material.

2. Apparatus for constructing large buildings comprising scaffolding ofa size to come within the cross section of the building and providedwith means for supporting the transverse roof members of the building,means mounting said scaffolding for movement longitudinally of thebuilding for successive placing of its transverse members, and aplurality of spaced cranes on said scaffolding overhanging the buildingfor raising the construction material.

3. Apparatus for constructing large buildings comprising scaffolding ofa size to come within the cross section of the building and providedwith means for supporting the transverse roof members of the building,means mounting said scaffolding for movement longitudinally of thebuilding for successive placing of its transverse members, a pluralityof spaced cranes on said scafiolding overhanging the building forraising the construction material, and a power hoist for said cranecarried on the lower part of scaffold.

4. Apparatus for the construction of large arched buildings comprisingscaffolding extending crosswise of the proposed building and providedwith a portion coming within the arches of the building for supportingthe arches during the erectionof the same, ground tracks under thescaffolding extending longitudinally of the building, cars on the trackscarrying said scaffold ing as a unit, a crane at the top of thescaffolding for lifting the construction material, and power leanscarried by the rolling assemblage for operating said crane.

5. Apparatus for the construction of large arched buildings comprisingscaffolding extending crosswise of the proposed building and providedwith a portion coming within the arches of the building for supportingthearches during the erection of the same, a plurality of parallelground tracks under the scaffolding extending longitudinally of thebuilding, a plurality of cars on each of the tracks all carrying saidscaifolding as a unit, a plurality of cranes at the top of thescaffolding for lifting the construction material, and power meanscarried by the rolling assemblage for operating said cranes.

6. Apparatus for constructing large buildings comprising scaffolding ofa size to come within the cross section of the building, saidscaffolding provided with means for supporting the transverse roofmembers of the building, a boom-type crane mounted on said scaffoldingarranged and adapted for raising the transverse roof members and placingthem on the means provided on the scaffold for supporting the roofmembers, and means mounting said scaffolding for movement longitudinallyof the building for successive placing of its transverse members.

7. In apparatus as defined in claim 6, said means for supporting thetransverse roof members being disposed in a vertical at one side of themounting of the crane.

8. In apparatus as defined in claim 6, said means comprising spacedsupporting members generally disposed in a vertical plane at one side ofthe mounting of the crane, and positioned to generally conform to spacedpoints along the inner cross sectional contour of the buildin JOHN H.POMEROY.

plane positioned

